NANDINI POV

"Emily!"

I called for her when I spotted her sitting in the lush private lounge outside the VVIP patient room of the hospital as instructed by the obnoxious receptionist down there. I never have the reason to visit here especially this presidential floor exclusively for the Elites and the powerful personalities but today I really can see that why this hospital is so popular among Elites.

"Nandini?" She got up throwing the magazine she was reading on the glass coffee table before approaching me.

I was panting heavily from all the running and panic and Emily looks a little surprised to noticing my condition.

"Ho..how is he?" I asked her breathless.

"Still same,come sit." She answered then gestured for me to sit beside her on the same crème couch.

"Any update? Did you know what exactly happened?" I asked impatiently and Emily dejectedly shook her head.

"Well nothing. No one is telling me anything except its confidential and they will directly speak his case to his family or someone really close." She explained helplessly.

"Where is he did you see him at least?" I asked hopefully.

"No, not yet. He is inside there though." She answered pointing towards the huge glass walls shielding with white blinds and two monstrous  guards stood there in royal uniform.

I suddenly felt at loss he is too near just across the glass yet too far from my reach right now that I can't even take a glimpse and see if he is really fine and get an idea about what's exactly wrong with him?

"So is anyone from his family coming here?" I asked hesitantly suddenly feeling a lump in my throat at the mention of it. The familiar people from my past.

"I don't know I was informed that its necessary." She answered shrugging "And I guess its void to sit here and wait for any update anymore because they are too secretive to tell us anything." She expressed her thoughts.

"So you are leaving?" I asked perplexed.

"I think you should too." She squeezed my shoulder with a suggestive expression but I immediately avoided looking into her eyes and heard her exhaling a long breath before speaking again.

"Look Nandini,I don't know what exactly is going on between you and The Duke but I won't push you to tell me. You are a nice girl and as far as I know he is a great man with a great personality too. If it's something there then you definitely have my blessing and I hope he won't hurt you." She smiled caressing my face and my eyes open wide in shock and I am completely out of words.

"No! No! Em, you are going too far with it. Its..its nothing like that. There is nothing between us we hardly talk, for god sake!" I blabbered almost stuttering and she stared and smiled, creeping me out.

"Really? Then why I don't believe you. " She smiled teasingly and I started fidgeting on my place. "Nandini maybe I've aged but I have seen world more than you and I can tell what exactly is happening around me."

"Oh no Em! but here you are wrong completely." I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

"Really again?"She asked amused and I nodded vigorously "mhm..then why he is always asking about you?"

"What?" I asked utter shocked.

"Yes my dear,whenever we have a meeting our 80% conversation just revolve around you instead of the real business. Initially it used to bother me but soon I realized we both love to talk about you. I have my suspicion on him but today seeing you this impatient and worried I'm sure you guys aren't telling me something that I already know." She taunted smugly and I shook my head helplessly completely avoiding the flutter inside my stomach about the fact he talks to Emily about me, but why?

"Emily I already have a boyfriend!". I finally announced and she looked shocked to the core.

"Wha..what but when and who?" Her eyes are too big and she looked comically curious.

"Mikhail, Haims cousin?" I told her hoping for her to remember.

"Mikhail Deniz Shaikh!" She exclaimed astounded and I nodded"Oh my God ! You landed yourself a jackpot lady." She squealed hugging me and I blushed at her comment. And also amused that how easily she forgot the real discussion.

"Okay well I should leave and I suggest you should leave too in no time because its useless waiting here." She got up gathering her belongings and bid me good bye while I sat there hoping and waiting for someone to tell me.

I know people will call me pathetic for coming here running like a fool but I couldn't stop myself from coming here or to worry about him. Its not because I still have feelings for him, its something else that I really can't explain, its an urge from the inside of me.

Have you ever experienced the feeling when you hear about someone you know in trouble ; doesn't matter if its your close relative or an acquittance , you feel a twitch inside you, an urge to find out if he/she is actually okay? Its because you grow a connection, distant but still there and this is what I'm experiencing right now. Besides Manik wasn't a mere acquaintance for me , he was my best friend for twelve years of my life. I still hate him but won't it be too heartless for me to feel nothing over twelve years of friendship against 4 years of breakup.

I'm still a human it still hurts to know someone you know is hurt and those feelings are spontaneous and makes you human, its not like it will have any effect on the way I feel about the sin he committed and the way he hurted me.

I sat there lost deep in my thoughts when a doctor passed by me and I immediately stood up in attempt to approach him.

"Doctor?" I called hastily.

"Yes Miss?"He stopped turning around in question.

"How is Manik?" I asked straight hoping he will tell me anything.

"May I know who are you to him?"He asked monotonously, scrutinizing me with his blue eyes that has started to wrinkle due to age.

"I'm his colleague." I answered honestly.

"Sorry Miss but that's not enough information to answer you because we have our protocols regarding his security." He stated without any hint of apology in his tone. And I stood there disappointed "May I know your name Miss?" He asked again in his thick accent and I nodded before answering.

"Nandini."

"Nandini...."he trailed of.

"Just Nandini."

"Okay wait.." he pulled out his ipad and started going through it frowning.

"Sorry Miss I don't know how you get here exactly but your name isn't anywhere in the visitors list. May I know how did you reach here?" He asked suspiciously as if I'm a criminal or a psychic.

"As I said I'm just a colleague and I was with Emily Boston." I answered.

"hmm that makes sense." He mumbled "Well now you know you can't visit the duke at least not until he is awake and give us permission. So its better miss you should go home." He stated in his professional mode and walked away from there.

I sighed defeatedly and turn around not before glancing back to the room where Manik is and finally left empty handed more worried and concerned than before.

Two days and no news about Manik, the last thing I heard from Emily is that he was out of danger, last day in the morning, nothing more. And it didn't sooth my worry even tad bit. I have been completely distracted and always lost deep in thought since I came back from hospital, my stress and anxiety is clearly visible on my face that didn't help my case with Shaikh brothers. So they were continuously pestering me into telling them especially Mikhail because Haim is still detached since our last argument. Well I never wanted to but eventually I told them trusting them with the secret as expected Mikhail was cool with it but Haim freaked out and we got into another argument thankfully Mikhail was really supportive.

"Hey baby!"

I was distractingly switching through the random channels with my mind full of thoughts and didn't realize Mikhail's arrival until I felt him sitting beside me engulfing me in his warm hug. I sighed inhaling his rich familiar cologne suddenly feeling more relaxed and calm clutching onto him tightly.

"Had dinner?" He asked lovingly, rubbing my back sothingly.

I shook my head "Not yet, what's the time?" I asked cuddling into him.

"Its 9:30 Nandini. What were you doing? And you are still in your work clothes." He asked amused. My eyes widen in shock and I pull away from him instantly to check the time and yes it's actually 9:30 pm right now. 

God! I was sitting here since three hours.

"Nothing!" I sighed" I was just too exhausted I guess." I mumbled rubbing my face tiredly.

"Do you have anything for dinner?" he asked again.

"the usual."I replied sheepishly.

He wasn't really pleased when he found out I have been surviving on can food since I moved in here; exactly four months now. Well I don't know how to cook except boiled eggs and probably the can food and my house maid comes twice in a week only for cleaning that's it. Even Haim is mad about my food habits and always lecturing me about unhealthy can food but its better than starving myself to death.

"Nandini please!" He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You should stop eating those canned food now." He stated sternly glaring at me.

"So you mean I should start to starve myself?" I asked sarcastically.

"No! at least take help from YouTube, it shows easy recipes." He suggested.

"I will try." I mumbled grumpily.

"I'm serious."

"Me too." I retorted.

"Okay come on I brought you dinner. Its thai tonight." He said excitedly dragging me from the couch along with him.

I sat on the dinning table silently while he was going through my kitchen fetching crockeries to serve the dinner and soon he emerges from the kitchen with the bowls in his hand and join me on the dinner table.

"Are you still stress about him?" He asked noticing my tedious mood. I nodded quietly sipping on my favorite  soup served by him.

"Don't worry he will be fine, I'm sure." He put his spoon back and turn around to face me with a reassuring look, pressing my shoulders.

"Huh!" I sighed "I'm not worried about that I..I am feeling stupid, being in the dark , completely clueless." I admitted and he frowns.

"But why?"

"I don't know it..its feel like since no one is here from his family then it should be my responsibility to look out for him. I should have known what's he need, how is he doing instead of his PR team who is just following their duty like bots." I explained anxiously.

"No baby its not!" He squeezed my hands starring right into my eyes lovingly. "You aren't responsible for anything if he himself doesn't want you around." Ouch! that last revelation hurt though.

"I guess." I waved nonchalantly avoiding the pinch in my heart.

"Okay now eat first and you can visit him tomorrow." He assured shoving the spoon in my mouth.

"What about Haim is he still mad?" I asked nervously while he fed me and he doesn't visit me anymore now and have handed the spare keys of my apartment to Mikhail.

"I guess , but he will come around." He smiled and I returned the restrained smile of my own.

I hope Mikhail's words are true because it depresses me to no end that my best friend is mad at me. I never wanted our relationship to come across such circumstances where we will start having disagreements on everything. He is my best friend and I care about him alot even love him but he has to understand he can't be my babysitter forever, he has to let me make my own decisions and risk.

"Okay now the baby is well fed so what about my reward?" Mikhail asked playfully leaning closer after he finished feeding me.

"What reward?"I frowned.

"Come on don't be a prude! You know already. " He scoffed playfully and my eyes widen understanding the underlying intention.

"Mik.. Mikhail.." I stuttered suddenly feeling nervous, looking down and my face heating up.

"So?" He whispered seductively breathing on my face and my heart is almost ready to break out from the ribcage.

"Should I take your silence as yes?"

He smirked leaning more closer, tilting my chin up and my face is now heating up even more and I tightly close my eyes feeling shy and heart is on marathon. When he didn't receive any verbal response nor the denial from me. It encouraged him to continue and he leaned even more closer and my breath quickens and my heart is running on even more fast pace, if possible.

A huge part inside me wants this whereas the other part is still in dilemma, perhaps it's scared because I haven't been involved romantically with anyone since four years now. I don't know how it will effect me and what will i feel but to find out I guess I actually want this to happen.

"I am going to kiss you." He mumbled against my lips breathing heavily and I clenched my fist in anticipation and finally I felt the warm and softest touch against mine and I gasp in surprise and my entire body is on fire. I was too shocked and lost to respond  feeling the strange warmth of his lips and the way they were moving against mine like a feather as if  I am made up of glass, it feels too intimate and tender nothing I have ever felt before. His minty breath mingled with the wine he was having with dinner leaving exotic taste in my mouth and his rough hand against my jaw supporting me.

It is the best kiss I ever have, full of tender, care, passion. The kisses I have shared with Manik were always raw and felt too rough as if it was just need and desperation and I discovered the difference tonight.

******

Morning came sooner than I realized because I had the most peaceful sleep after two days. The sensation of his lips still lingering on my lips and the feather touch is still there, my mind was flashing the image of our kiss from last night dominating all the worries and other thoughts. I don't know how but Mikhail always manage to occupy ny all thought at the end of the day.

Well throwing away my comforter I jumped out from the bed and rush inside to bathroom to get ready in a flash. Today I decided to visit hospital before going to office to check on Manik's condition. I hope he is doing fine now.
I reached hospital in next 20 minutes, I skipped breakfast in hurry so I grabbed my coffee from Starbucks in the way. I walked straight inside passing the receptionist without asking her anything since I know now my way around but unfortunately she caught up to me stopping me in my way.

"Miss! Where do you think you are going like that?" She asked breathing heavily and I raised my brows in question.

"To meet the patient." I answered obviously because I know if I will tell her the name she will stop me from going there because my name isn't in the visitors list.

"Of course! But may I know the name of the patient?" She asked.

"Look I know my way around so please I can assist myself." I said curtly.

"But miss you can't barge inside without filling the information, so please tell me your purpose and the name of the patient your are visiting." She explained professionally and I sighed in defeat.

Of course the security protocol of the Elites hospital.

"Manik Malhotra." I answered plainly waiting for her to deny the entry but to my surprise she revealed something else.

"You mean the duke?" She asked surprised and I nodded. "Sorry miss but he was discharged last night."

"What?" Its now my time to be shocked. "I thought he is under observation for a week atleast."

"Yes he was but something caused change in plans." Saying this she walk away to her desk and I stood there dumbfounded.

Change of plans!

I think now time to finally visit someone at his place as much as its breaking my nerves I'm gonna do this

UPDATED SO LATE! AND A BORING PART I GUESS. (am always boring people these days ,I think.😒😒) But I will update its second part tomorrow for sure.

P.S- My this book is now eligible for #wattys2019 😱💃💃💃💃💃💃